Monday, June 20, 2011

Life Links 6/20/11

However, there remains a very crucial point of disagreement. It is troubling that the governor does not agree to select only pro-life appointees for relevant cabinet and executive-branch positions, in particular the heads of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health & Human Services. Truly, personnel is policy. Any attorney general in charge of vetting judges and defending pro-life legislation must have conviction and background on the issue to do it well. That is especially true on a deeply moral issue such as abortion. The convictions of the person holding the position are critical to the advancement of the policy goal. To hold a position opposite to the president on the abortion issue would put such a person in an undermining position, especially given the level of leadership Governor Romney has committed to provide. It is counterintuitive to recruit a half-hearted lieutenant to assist in a battle of such consequence.

Putting the new maternity home on the campus of a Catholic school is a "bold move," said Belmont Abbey College President Bill Thierfelder.

He described the project as "a natural extension of pro-life philosophy."

"It's putting your money where your mouth is," Thierfelder said. "You're not just talking philosophy anymore. This is something real. You need to meet people where they are and help them to take the next good step."

Women who stay at the home up to two years for free don't have to be Catholic or students at Belmont Abbey. They can commute to colleges or universities in the greater Charlotte area or take transferable credits at the Abbey. As they complete their educations, they'll also learn to be good parents. Room, board and meals will be provided at the home.

Apparently, all those donations to Planned Parenthood Indiana will dry up today. Note the quote below on PP's thinking as to why they won't restructure so their non-aborting clinics could get funding.

Elsewhere, organizations facing public funding cuts have essentially split into one branch that handles women's health and another that handles abortions, but receives no public money. Planned Parenthood of Indiana president Betty Cockrum rejects that proposal.

"There's a very legitimate concern about the shelf life of any kind of restructuring. Just looking at language that was introduced in the Minnesota legislature this year that would have stripped funds from any organization that even made a referral for an abortion," she says.